I Will Be Waiting
by BellatrixisFred
Summary: Lord Cygnus Black did not want three daughters, but by the time his wife had died he realised what a treasure his Bellatrix was. He brought her into the world of dark magic and death eaters, he taught her to die for the cause and to never give up the wait
1. Childhood

**Childhood**

When Bella was born Lord Cygnus Black was not happy to have her. Not because she was not everything he expected but because she was a girl, the second girl that should have been a male.

Bellatrix was the second of three disappointments. First Andromeda, not only a girl where the first-born should be a male heir, but as he found out only four years after Bella was born, a disgrace. A Ravenclaw. Narcissa, the final disappointment was perfect but from her perfection something in spirit was lacking – just like Druella. Narcissa was again a girl, a perfect pureblood witch, beautiful, obedient and the perfect housewife.

Narcissa was three years younger than Bellatrix and Druella died giving birth to her, it was a minor grievance to Cygnus but he knew by then his wife had left him with a treasure.

"I can't handle it! I can't handle _her!_ Andy was a tractable, sweet-tempered girl but Bellatrix is too much! Please Cygnus have someone else care for her." Aurora Druella's spinster sister begged.

Cygnus looked down at his daughter who sat smirking at Aurora and felt his lips tug in a smile.

"As you wish, I'll have Walburga look after her then. She and Bella get along quite well."

"Thank you thank you." Aurora said breathlessly.

"You may as well return to your rooms now. I will watch Bella for the day, after all. How much trouble can one girl be?"

Aurora looked offended but left with a bow for her rooms. Cygnus sneered he did not like Druella's sister and only kept her to watch his children.

"Papa." Bella said happily toddling over to Cygnus who again felt himself smiling at his little daughter. This daughter was his last hope for the child he truly wanted.

"Bella do you know what your family is?" Cygnus asked her not having spent much time with his daughter and wanting to know how much she had to learn.

"Pureblood." Bellatrix responded immediately. It was clear why she was Walburga's favourite.

"Does Aunt Walburga teach you genealogy?" Cygnus asked.

"Yes, its my favourite, Sirius doesn't like it but Aunt Walburga says he has to learn." Bellatrix replied with a happy smile at her father's approving look.

"Do you hate Mudbloods Bellatrix?"

"Yes Papa, Aunt Walburga says we need to kill them."

"Quite right Bella, quite right. Would you like to learn how?"

"Yes!" Bellatrix said eyes shining.

"Well, if you study very hard then I will start to teach you as soon as you turn seven. Can you wait that long?"

Bellatrix nodded frantically smiling up at her father in happiness.

"Good girl. You'll be my favourite won't you? You'll be Daddy's girl and kill all the bad mudbloods won't you?"

"Yes Papa! I will."

So at three years of age Bella became his favourite and Andromeda already the most despised for not being the heir, for not being a Slytherin and most of all for not being right. Bellatrix hated mudbloods, studied her genealogy, kept up the Black families pureblood ideals and set a good example for young Narcissa.

Andromeda was Ravenclaw, had taken muggle studies, fraternised with half-bloods and was the worse example for a Black female.

By the time Bellatrix was five Cygnus knew she was interested in the Dark Lord's cause and he couldn't be happier. Orion had introduced him to young Tom Riddle and he was financially involved with the death eater's, helping provide whatever gold might be needed, houseroom and access to his extensive library.

"Bella would you die for the cause? To protect those of the blood?"

"Yes Papa." Bellatrix replied nodding.

"That's my girl." He said approvingly, if only she had been the unborn son, what a son she would have made.

"I would fight, die – anything for the cause." Bellatrix swore to him.

"Even wait?"

"Wait? Why would I ever need to wait?" Bellatrix asked curiously.

"Well my Bella never forget how to wait. My whole life I have been waiting for Susan McKinnon but she will not come, never give up the wait though my Bella because she is getting closer, I can feel it." Cygnus told her, not knowing that Bellatrix would spend fourteen years waiting on his advice.

"She'll come Papa. They all do." Bellatrix assured him so like an adult in that moment, but then her childish attention span made her lose focus and she was admiring his books on dark arts. Ah he loved his Bella, only five and already truly a Black.

When she was seven Cygnus bought her a wand long before it was legal for him to do so. Ollivander said nothing, he knew the people the Black's consorted with and that he would be safer if he were silent.

"Bella I got you a gift."

"Coming Papa." Bellatrix said getting up from her book on genealogy she had been reading to four-year-old Narcissa and Regulus.

"That is quite the daughter you have there Cygnus, quite excellent." Orion said smiling at Bellatrix as she came forward politely.

"I have your wife to thank for that, she has taught Bellatrix everything she needs to know."

"I'm gonna be a death eater." Bellatrix told Orion who smiled at her.

"Like Alecto?" He asked bringing up Walburga's niece.

"Even better." Bellatrix assured him. "Aunt Walburga said so."

"I'm sure you will." Cygnus said. "Now hold out your hands."

Bellatrix obediently held out her hands and Cygnus placed a curved wand in them, the wand was meant for Bellatrix, that much was made clear to them all as it glowed gold and became warm to touch.

"You gonna – " Bellatrix stopped looked back at her Aunt and started again "Are you going to teach me how to kill _mudbloods?_"

"That's my girl." Cygnus said and Bellatrix curtsied to both her uncle and father who regarded her proudly.

It wasn't long after this meeting that Orion and Cygnus decided to introduce Bellatrix to their friend Tom.

"Bellatrix." Orion said as she sat in the lounge of 12 Grimmauld place going through flashcards her aunt had given her while Walburga made dinner.

"Yes?"

"I want you to meet Mr Riddle."

Bellatrix looked up sharply and stared Tom Riddle in the face her heart pounding. He was even more handsome than in the pictures his angular cheekbones, dark hair, ebony skin and a faint red glint in his eyes painting an attractive picture.

"My Lord." She said getting to her feet and giving her best curtsey. Orion nodded approvingly at his niece.

"I will go and get those papers Tom, I'm sure Bella can entertain you."

"Yes, I'm sure she can." The one they called Tom said looking pleased.

"Tell me Bella, have you heard about your sister?"

"Cissy or the other one?" Bellatrix asked thinking angrily of Andromeda.

"The other one. I heard she is in a relationship with someone –distasteful." Tom said taunting the clearly proud little girl.

"Not for long." Bellatrix said smugly.

"Oh? And why is that?" Tom asked the girl intrigued.

"Papa's teaching me to kill mudbloods so I can kill him for disgracing our family, Aunt Walburga says I must kill Andromeda too because she has also disgraced our family. She _talked _to a mudblood _and _she's a Ravenclaw." Bellatrix informed Tom who smiled at her intently.

"She's quite right. I hear you follow my cause Bellatrix, tell me, would you like to be a death eater?"

"I will be your most devoted and faithful servant my lord." Seven-year old Bellatrix promised him and for some reason he felt himself believing her.

"You probably won't see me again for a while Bella but know I will come." Tom assured her.

"I'll be waiting and preparing."

"You'll prepare for my return then? Do you swear?"

"Every time you leave I will prepare for your return." Bellatrix swore to him.

"That's your uncle coming down the stairs, I will go with him and you may not see me again for a long time"

"I will be waiting. I'll always wait."

"Then I'll be back. Goodbye Bella, I will see you when I see you."

"Goodbye My Lord." She said responding with another curtsey that made Tom smile as he followed her uncle out of the room.

"That's my girl." Orion said to her as he left and Bellatrix smiled to herself. She was _everyone's _favourite.

( BellatrixisFred )

Bellatrix waited patiently for him to return. She followed his cause in fascination and pursed what Dark Magic she could handle which was disappointingly little. Bellatrix tired of being a child, she wished to go to Hogwarts and learn faster so that she could serve her Lord.

But instead she waited. He didn't come again until she was ten. This time Andromeda who had assured them all she had broken up with her muggle born boyfriend and had not been spotted with him once since Bellatrix was seven nor had she written a single letter while at home, had eloped with him.

Andromeda was to graduate that year and she had not come home for Christmas running off with that filth and leaving only Narcissa a note. But Bellatrix didn't care, she helped Aunt Walburga scorch her sister's name off the wall in Grimmauld place with grim satisfaction while Narcissa cried in a corner.

Bellatrix was in her garden burning things that had belonged to that traitorous filth so they wouldn't endanger their purity when he came.

"I hear she ran off with him."

"I'll kill them soon, Papa teaches me Dark Arts everyday while Cissy gets lessons on how to be a proper wife. Regulus is jealous." Bellatrix told him turning around to curtsey to him as she had three years before. His face was even more appealing then before and the red glint in his eyes was more pronounced. He had gotten more powerful while he was away. Excitement stirred within Bellatrix as she looked at her Lord come to speak to his most faithful servant.

"I thought you would, don't worry in my service there will be much opportunity for purifying the ranks of your family." He told her with a smile.

"I've been following the cause, waiting, preparing." Bellatrix told him and again he smiled at her.

"Good Bella, very good. You are my youngest Death Eater." He told her and Bellatrix smiled at the praise.

"Am I?" She asked surprised no one else felt the same about the Dark Lord, who of the blood could not want to be a death eater? Who could not want to keep them pure?

"Gryffindor's." He said; spitting the name like it was poison. "I read your mind."

Bellatrix nodded, the thought did not discomfort her for she had nothing to hide from her master.

"Good." He said clearly reading her mind again. "You go to Hogwarts next year don't you?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Remember that Gryffindor's are a house of blood traitors." He told her looking murderous.

"I will my Lord."

"Good my Bella. Then I will see you again soon."

"I will be waiting my Lord."

"I know you will Bella."

( BellatrixisFred )

Bellatrix watched as her cousin was sorted into Gryffindor and narrowed her eyes. He was her cousin no longer. Now he was the enemy. Bellatrix watched Sirius laughingly sit down at Gryffindor table next to the Potter boy, blood traitors the Potter's were.

Bellatrix felt instantly sorry for her Aunt but knew that Walburga would fix Sirius if anyone could; content with her options Bellatrix realised her name had been called.

"Black Bellatrix!" McGonagall called for a third time to laughter from the Hufflepuff table. Bellatrix mounted the stage with a haughty glare, waving at a few highly placed Slytherin's with whom her family was connected. They waved or nodded back and Bellatrix sat down on the stool as McGonagall placed the sorting hat on her head.

"_Ah. Another Black. Quite unlike the last two I've been given to place. They didn't fit right but you, no you are a true Black aren't you?"_

"_**Of course I'm a true Black!" **_She thought at the Sorting hat angrily.

"_Yes, you'll uphold tradition quite nicely, but at the same time you'll break it down." _The hat said cryptically.

"_**Just put me in Slytherin before I incinerate you." **_

"_As you wish."_

"SLYTHERIN!"

( BellatrixisFred )


	2. The Dark Mark

**The Dark Mark**

"Papa I got prefect." Bellatrix announced to Cygnus who looked up and smiled at her as she put some books she had borrowed from him on horcruxes.

"That's my Bella." He said happily. "Bella who of these would you want to marry?" He asked showing her a list with names of various single Death Eaters on it.

Bellatrix scanned the list. She knew six of the twelve or so names.

"Not Avery, Crabbe or Goyle. I will not marry idiots, especially not unimportant ones. Lestrange I like and he is very attractive, Malfoy I like and could live with although I believe he is holding out for Cissy and Nott is the most handsome of the all although we have rarely spoken." Bellatrix answered after a moment.

"You are not angry about me thinking of marrying you?" He asked worriedly.

"It is the way of purebloods. Make him handsome, not too idiotic and of course connected but overall make him faithful to the Dark Lord. Then I shall have no complaint." Bellatrix said with a shrug looking for a few books she wished to take with her to school.

"The Dark Lord wishes me to hold out on engaging you until you are eighteen, I have agreed to do as he asked but I suspect it will be one of the men on this list."

"As you wish Papa." Bellatrix said with a smile, which he returned.

"Ah that's my Bella. Prefect indeed, no surprise at all I would say."

Bellatrix hugged her father tightly; he was her only weakness in the world. Her Lord told her that to love was weak but she was not as strong as him, she loved her father and even Cissy.

Still she was not the weakest Bellatrix thought as she left the library with the books to pack in her trunk, tomorrow she returned to Hogwarts and she wanted to perfect some new hexes she wanted to use on her favourite mudbloods Patricia Kelly, Lily Evans and Sarah Connelly.

( BellatrixisFred )

Her father lay dead and Bellatrix stared at his pale face impassively. It saddened her to see him gone but she did not cry like Cissy did and Cissy had not nearly the same relationship with their father. But Cissy was weak and Bellatrix was strong.

"Bella."

She turned to see him behind her looking graver than she had ever seen him. It had been six years since she had last seen him and Bellatrix was surprised by the feelings his appearance aroused in her. He was gorgeous. But that was only a minor feeling compared to the excitement and passion throbbing through her, because she knew. She knew why he was here. He was here for her. Finally he was here for her.

"Come." Was all he said and Bellatrix moved forward to him instantly curtsying as she always had.

"You have grown and you're prepared. The wait is over."

"I am your most faithful and devoted servant." Bellatrix said kneeling at his feet.

"I know."

"My Lord, what do I do with my sister now?" Bellatrix asked, unable to block out Cissy's sobs.

"Lucius wishes to marry her, he would care for her."

"It will be as you say My Lord." Bellatrix agreed.

"Come Bella, we have much work to do."

( BellatrixisFred )

Her final Hogwarts letter came to her as she knelt at her Lord's feet speaking to him about her last mission. Ever since her father's death Bellatrix had been with him, fighting, following his orders or simply waiting for his return. She had only seen Cissy once in that time but it was clear her sister was happy; Bellatrix spared her no other thought after that.

"What is it Bella?" He asked as she opened the letter.

"It is my Hogwarts letter my Lord, shall I attend?" Bellatrix asked handing over the letter without even reading it.

"I think that is perhaps the best course for now. You were recruiting my forces last year were you not?"

"I was my Lord." She replied fingering the Dark Mark, which now covered her left arm, marking her as his, marking her as one of his most faithful, most devoted.

"Continue to do that, I shall bring you when I have need of your service and there is often need for a faithful servant like you." He decided and Bellatrix nodded.

"As you wish my Lord."

He threw her letter onto the table and looked into the distance for a while.

"Bella, would you say I am attractive?" He asked unexpectedly.

"The most attractive man I have yet met." Bellatrix said honestly.

"Well be contented Bella that you are the most attractive woman I have ever met, however your sister is undoubtedly the most beautiful." He said absently tapping his wand against the table.

"My Lord!" There was a crash at the front of the house and Bellatrix leapt to her feet chest heaving as she stared at the doorway.

It was Nott bringing in a struggling man.

"I found him my Lord." Nott said throwing the bound and gagged man to the floor with a loud thud.

"Excellent Nott, you may go."

Nott nodded and retreated. He was one of the many of the Dark Lord's followers who didn't understand his passion for torture. Many of them didn't understand the subtle balance of pain and pleasure that the cruciatus curse could bring. Pain or pleasure the receiver but only pleasure could it bring the caster.

"No they do not understand as you do my dear." He said to her with a smile. Bellatrix smiled at the gleam in his eyes as he approached the immobilised man.

"Crucio!" He yelled and the man screamed in pain.

"Bella, the knives Bella." He urged her and Bellatrix hurried to gather the assortment of knives He used to create pain in his victims.

Four months of living constantly with her Lord had taught Bellatrix what to expect from her Lord's torture sessions. He needed to feel their pain through his wand, through their blood and afterward he needed a readily available female.

Bellatrix knew there was no one else nearby for the first time but she didn't bother to try and arrange a slave. She was too wrapped up in the deliciousness of the moment and the man's screams.

His eyes were filled with a mad gleam and intense excitement as he pierced another knife into the man's flesh eliciting fresh screams. It went on and on, curse after curse, knife after knife until finally the man collapsed, unconscious, He drew himself up that familiar glint of determination in his eyes.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _The man went limp and her Lord spin around face flushed with desire. Spying no other woman brought in to be a vessel of his pleasure he turned to Bellatrix.

"Come Bella."

Bellatrix came forward almost eagerly to be crushed to her Lord's body his lips pressing hard against hers. He was rough but in a way that was better. It hurt yes but it was in a good way, the kind of pain that held intense pleasure. Bellatrix found herself screaming as he made her hurt and groan in pleasure all at once until she fell to the floor. He was satisfied.

Bellatrix sat up looking at her Lord her devotion no less strong.

"Perhaps I shall need you more often than first foreseen." He said thoughtfully, wand still in hand.

"Wait here Bella." He told her getting up.

"Yes my Lord." She replied. "I will always be waiting."

"I feel a meeting is in order. Be prepared." He said without turning around and then he left.

Bellatrix knew any other girl her age and many much older would be traumatised and broken by her experience. But she felt impassioned and full of fire, for _she _the weak female could give her Lord more than any of the males could. And still she was the most faithful, the most devoted.

( BellatrixisFred )

"Your Aunt Walburga has spoken to me and she wants you to marry Rodolphus. I have spoken to Lestrange and he feels the match is suitable, he finds your devotion, bloodlust and body attractive; I feel it is a good match as well. I know you have become friends of a sort and Rodolphus is not foolish enough to believe that you would be his alone." He said to her one day.

Bellatrix considered the match for a moment before nodding.

"Rodolphus would be a good husband." She agreed. "We would suit each other quite well."

"Could you learn to love him?" He asked sardonically.

"It is likely my Lord but it should not change my devotion to you." Bellatrix admitted knowing full well that so much time with Rodolphus would cause her to love him, at least as her closest friend if not a lover.

"I know Bella. You are my most faithful."

Bellatrix looked up at her Lord as he once again grew lost in thought and wondered how it would be married to Rodolphus. The prospect was a good one and it was a match that her father had already approved of. It was settled.

( BellatrixisFred )


	3. Azkaban

**Azkaban**

"They say he is gone." Rodolphus told Bellatrix angrily. "Why are they lying to us?"

"_Avada Kedavra!" _He pointed at one of prisoners the house-elves had brought up at the news. They had learnt what their masters required.

Bellatrix didn't understand couldn't comprehend what her husband was saying.

The Dark Lord gone? It wasn't possible. They were hiding him from them, all they had to do was find the right people.

"We have to find him." She told him eyes wide.

"We will. We are the most faithful we will find him. Rodolphus assured her and Bellatrix smiled at him taking his hand.

"Get the boy who spent so long praising the Dark Lord. He can prove himself." Bellatrix snapped at one of their many house-elves.

"Who would know?" Rodolphus asked his eyes mirroring her insane passion.

"Aurors, the Order of the Phoenix, they would know." Bellatrix replied as her husband killed yet another prisoner.

"Or someone that is both." Rodolphus suggested the mad gleam in his eye calming as he killed turned the cruciatus curse on his third victim.

"But who?" Bellatrix all but screamed tearing her wand from her pocket and pointing it at her husband's victim.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" She screamed and watched in pleasure as the man began to bleed onto the cold, uncaring stones.

"Longbottom." Said a quiet, unfamiliar voice behind them.

"What?" Rodolphus demanded wand high as he turned to look at the straw haired boy the house-elf had brought down.

"Longbottom. Alice and Frank Longbottom. Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix." The boy repeated a little louder.

"You're a goldmine of information boy." Rodolphus said triumphantly.

"Do you love the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix asked him bent low.

"I do!" He said fiercely.

"Are you ready to prove it?" She asked him her voice a purr.

"Just show me the way!" It was as her father had done to her, encouragement through questions was all that was needed for the truly faithful.

"Then come on." Bellatrix said throwing him his wand, which she had kept in her robes since his capture.

Rodolphus grinned at his wife as the three of them stalked out of Black Hall headed to find the two people who would surely know where their Lord was so they, the faithful, could bring him home.

( BellatrixisFred )

"The Dark Lord will rise again, Crouch! Throw us into Azkaban; we will wait! He will rise again and will come for us; he will reward us beyond any of his other supporters! We alone were faithful! We alone tried to find him!" Bellatrix yelled at the straw-haired boy's father while he blubbered at him, begging for freedom.

His father was not one to relent but it was all part of the plan, if they could get out – but no, they would have to wait for him, in Azkaban.

"Send them to Azkaban!" Crouch yelled and the dementors closed in as the chains released Bellatrix, her husband and Crouch's son.

"I'll see you when he comes." Bellatrix said to Rodolphus who leaned in and kissed her on the head before they were dragged apart and finally when their struggles proved too much for the aurors, knocked out.

Bellatrix didn't awaken until she was locked in her cell in Azkaban. It was cold and the dementors drew away many of her memories with her father, Cissy and even Rodolphus, but they couldn't take away her devotion to her Lord. And even though she could no longer remember his face she could still hear her father's words

'_Well my Bella, never forget how to wait." _

She hadn't forgotten. She had waited and he had come. He would come again. It was only a matter of waiting. He would come for her. He always came.

( BellatrixisFred )

So she waited, never knowing how long she had been there or how much longer it would be. Sometimes her mind would slip and she would fall into easy insanity – but that was only when she forgot how to wait, and that was only sometimes.

After a while she knew that Rodolphus was nearby. She could hear his screams sometimes; sometimes she could hear him say her name.

It occurred to her that she lost herself to insanity less and less. Years had slipped by unnoticed but slowly the normal feel of time was returning to Bellatrix. That made it harder to bear but she had her Lord's words to keep her going.

"_I'll be waiting my Lord. I'll always wait." _She had told him.

"_Then I'll be back." _

He'd be back. He was coming for her. Bellatrix remembered her father's face now and remembered how often he was right. Yes he was definitely right. She should never forget how to wait and so far she had managed to remember.

More time passed and Bellatrix began to stare at her precious mark. It was becoming clearer, another sign that he was returning and with it her grip on reality. She didn't lose herself in delirium anymore. Now Bellatrix only waited.

Finally the sound came, screams, the sweetest sound Bellatrix had ever heard. The human guards and visitors screamed in terror while the prisoners screamed in joy.

The cloud over her mind had disappeared and Bellatrix let out a mad cackle of glee.

The waiting was nearly done. He had come for her.

"You were always my most faithful." He said and Bellatrix turned to face her Master in joy. Those hated bars were gone and freedom was hers but better, much better than freedom was the return of her Master, her Lord.

"I waited, I'll always wait." She told him ecstatically curtseying as she had when she was seven.

"Come Bella." That was all he said and she followed him into the stormy night to retrieve her husband and the many other followers who had come here rather than renounce their Lord.

"Is it war my Lord?" She asked as he raised his wand to demolish the bars containing her husband.

"I've come back." Was his only reply.


End file.
